In The News

Brown & Connery is proud to share that Katina E. Chase, Esq. has been elected to serve as Secretary for the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey (ABWL-NJ).  Ms. Chase will serve on the Executive Board for the 2024-2025 year, which is the 50^th anniversary of the illustrious organization.

ABWL-NJ’s mission is to provide a forum for the discussion and dissemination of legal information concerning matters of interest to attorneys of color, as well as to assist in charitable and educational pursuits beneficial to the legal community and the community at large.

Ms. Chase will also serve as the Chair of the Diversity, Inclusion and Leadership Committee for the Burlington County Bar Association.  She has had an extensive career in public service and often focuses her community service in the City of Camden.

Ms. Chase is an associate of the firm and concentrates her practice in the defense of workers’ compensation matters.

On June 28, 2024, Brown & Connery hosted a “Grand Slam” legal seminar that focused on workers’ compensation and employment defense matters.

The seminar took place at Rutgers Law School in Camden, New Jersey and its presenters included numerous attorneys of the firm, including: Michael J. Watson, Eleanor M. Hoechst, Eric E. Fingerman, Kathleen E. Dohn, William T. Freeman, Shawn C. Huber, and Stephanie L. Meredith.  Many large employers were in attendance for the seminar, including New Jersey American Water, PSE&G, the City of Camden, FedEx Corporation, and New Jersey Schools Insurance Group.

If you are looking for a “Grand Slam,” Brown & Connery is your legal team.

Pictured L-R – Kathleen Dohn, Alyssa Lott, Arlette Leyba

Brown & Connery is proud to share that Alyssa Lott, an attorney of the firm, has been installed as a Co-Director of the Advocacy Committee on the Board of Directors of the South Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).  The appointment is effective July 1, 2024 and runs through June 30, 2025.  This is Ms. Lott’s second year serving in this role.

NAWBO South Jersey is dedicated to providing support, education, mentoring, and networking opportunities for women business owners and their associates in the region.  The organization serves the needs of women business owners in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, Atlantic, Cape May, and portions of Mercer counties.

As Co-Director of the Advocacy Committee, Ms. Lott works hand in hand with NAWBO National and has helped introduce NAWBO members to those who legislate on behalf of constituents throughout the South Jersey region.  The Advocacy Committee’s goal is to foster bi-partisan support for women in business in South Jersey and to educate members about local, state, and national public policy issues that impact business.

Brown & Connery is excited to commence its 2024 summer law clerk program and extends a warm welcome to this year’s summer law clerks: Taylor LaRosa, Olivia Hunt, and James Park.

Over the course of the summer, the law clerks will have an opportunity to gain valuable experience working on a variety of legal matters across the firm’s several offices and numerous practice areas.  They will be mentored by attorneys of various levels, will receive direct exposure to the legal process, and will be provided meaningful opportunities to attend client meetings, court hearings, mediations, depositions, and closings.  They will also be invited to attend seminars, luncheons, and other outings to further develop professional and personal ties with the firm and its attorneys.

This year’s class includes a diverse group of law students with an impressive array of backgrounds.

• Taylor LaRosa is a rising 3L student attending Rutgers Law School.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University, College of Arts and Sciences.  He participates in Hunter Moot Court and is a member of the Rutgers Business Law Review.
• Olivia Hunt is a rising 3L student attending Rutgers Law School.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University, College of Arts and Sciences.  She is a member of the Women’s Law Caucus and the Rutgers Journal of Law & Religion.
• James Park is a rising 3L student attending Rutgers Law School.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, College of Arts and Sciences.  He is a member of the Asian Pacific Americans Law Student Association and the Rutgers Tech and Computer Law Journal.

Founded in 1928, Brown & Connery is among the oldest and most well-established law firms in Southern New Jersey.  Many of the firm’s current attorneys previously participated in the firm’s summer law clerk program before graduating from law school.

On May 3, 2024, Shawn C. Huber, Esq. served as a moderator for a CLE program presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.  The program, titled “Anatomy of a Slip-and-Fall Case,” provided a expansive outline for handling slip-and-fall cases in the State of New Jersey, including insights from industry experts, as well as a special segment offering a judicial perspective.  The program was presented in cooperation with the Certified Attorney and Civil Trial Bar Sections of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Mr. Huber is a partner of the firm and he concentrates his practice in personal injury, commercial litigation, municipal law, and subrogation matters.  He has been certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney since 2011.  He is a regular speaker for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, National Business Institute, and the Camden County Bar Association. 

On May 17, 2024, Michele Haas, Esq., Vice Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s (“NJSBA’s”) Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee, moderated the 2024 NJSBA Annual Meeting Workers’ Compensation Bench-Bar Conference – “Back to Basics.”  During the conference, Ms. Haas joined a panel of esteemed practitioners to discuss a variety of topics relating to workers’ compensation law, including the roles of attorneys and doctors/experts in cases, a primer on medical examinations and testing, legislative and case law updates, and the use of interpreters at trial.

 Ms. Haas is Counsel with the firm and concentrates her practice in the defense of workers’ compensation matters.  She is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Workers’ Compensation Law Attorney.  

William F. Cook served as a speaker for the Camden County Bar Association’s Civil Practice Update on May 6, 2024.  This annual seminar covered key developments in New Jersey appellate cases in various practice areas including employment law, commercial litigation, complex litigation, and trial advocacy.  Mr. Cook also discussed recent changes to the New Jersey Court Rules and potential upcoming rule changes of importance to practitioners.  Mr. Cook is a partner with the firm and a co-chair of the CCBA’s Civil Practice Committee.

On April 9, 2024, Louis R. Lessig, Esq. served as the keynote speaker for an employment law seminar hosted by Emerson HR and held at the Cherry Hill Library. The seminar, titled “Cracking the Code: Navigating the Latest Employment Law Minefields with Ethical Finesse,” was credit approved by both the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and for ethics credit for the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). During the seminar, Mr. Lessig delved into the intersection of employment law and ethical activities arising from hot topic issues and provided clarity on navigating various employment laws.

Mr. Lessig is a partner of the firm and he concentrates his practice in labor and employment counseling, litigation, negotiations and training. Mr. Lessig currently serves as the Northeast Membership Advisory Council (MAC) representative for SHRM and is the immediate past New Jersey State Director for GSC-SHRM. He is also an active member of National Speakers Association

On April 5, 2024, the New Jersey Supreme Court rescinded its grant of certification in In the Matter of James Harnett (Supreme Court Docket No.: 087997).  The case challenged a Civil Service Commission regulation that affords public employers the discretion to accept or deny an employee’s request to rescind a previously offered resignation.

In this case, a ranking police officer sent an email to his Chief that he was retiring in two weeks and would take vacation during those weeks.  He also cleaned out his office and turned in his badge and gun.  Shortly thereafter, he had a change of heart and wanted to rescind his resignation.  Relying on the Civil Service Commission regulation, Pennsauken Township denied his request.  The employee appealed to the Civil Service Commission claiming that he never used the word “resignation.”  Rather, he indicated that he was “retiring” and that under the State Pension rules, he was entitled to rescind his retirement at any time leading up to his first pension check.

The Civil Service Commission upheld the Township’s action as lawful.  The matter was appealed and the State FOP joined in as amicus curiae.  The Appellate Division, in an unpublished opinion, upheld the Township’s action and the determination of the Civil Service Commission.  The New Jersey Supreme Court accepted certification of the case and oral argument was held.  The Supreme Court determined that certification was not appropriate and, in an unusual move, vacated its certification decision and effectively upheld the decision of the Appellate Division in favor of the Township.

Michael J. DiPiero, Esq., a partner of the firm, argued the matter at the Appellate Division and the Supreme Court.  Andrew S. Brown, Esq., an associate of the firm, also assisted on the matter.  This decision supports management rights in public sector employment decisions.  The unpublished opinion of the Appellate Division and the Order of the Supreme Court in this matter can be found here: https://www.njcourts.gov/ht/node/867381.

Arlette Leyba, Esq. recently attended the Hispanic National Bar Association’s (“HNBA’s”) Corporate Counsel Conference in Seattle, Washington. She began her journey with the HNBA as a law student, volunteering at various conferences and holding multiple positions in the Law Student Division. After law school, she was appointed Deputy Secretary and Law School Liaison.

This year, Ms. Leyba serves as the CLE Co-Chair, where she selected 17 panels out of over 70 submissions for the conference. She analyzed the submissions covering a multitude of topics, including employment law, anti-trust, artificial intelligence, recent Supreme Court decisions, and attorney wellness. In addition, Ms. Leyba participated in selecting the panelists and gathering materials for CLE accreditation submission. Nearly 90 seasoned attorneys from law firms and businesses nationwide spoke at this year’s conference. She will continue to serve as the CLE Co-chair for the HNBA’s Annual Conference in September.

Ms. Leyba is an associate with the firm and concentrates her practice in labor and employment, complex civil litigation, and financial services and banking.